The under-carriage shot makes me wonder if I'll need a steel skid plate for the X1.

I held off on the current TDI Golf until I smashed the FIFTH oil pan on a ski trailhead.

The X1 will ride much higher - but will I miss the secure feeling of having a steel plate of a tank between me, my oil pan, and the ice death cookies left on the highway by tractor trailers (I forget now if ice chunks or trailhead boulders won for who took out more TDI oil pans).

I'm not a fan of mud flaps in general. Perhaps it stems from not liking fenders on non-touring bicycles as well. However it does not horribly detract from the clean looks that much, so if you find it functional to prevent mud, then go for it.

I gotta say... seeing the Valencia Orange in your FL setting... it has to be THE color choice for sunny tropical climates... would love to see the car in front of an orange tree grove. The color works well there in a way I didn't foresee when I saw the color in Germany. It's a great fit.

What was your window tint level - 35%? Was it from a DIY pre-cut window trim kit? Or is that hard to get right as DIY? It does look sharp on the X1 shape.

I have A question...
While I was having the windows tinted I was looking at the rear wheel wells and noticed
like a sorta cut out of the black material behind the shocks exposing the light part of the car body why didn't BMW fix this ? Paint it black or something .....? or AM i getting to picky now?

> What was your window tint level - 35%? Was it from a DIY pre-cut window trim kit? Or is that hard to get right as DIY? It does look sharp on the X1 shape.

Beamerboi - any voice-of-experience advice or tips on doing window tinting? It seems you've done it on this car and last car.

Is this do-able as a first-time DIY, or something only the pros/shop should do? Did you ever try it yourself?

Go to a pro DO NOT DO IT YOURSELF unless you know what you're doing 100%
.
I did 18/25 carbon lighter in front. cost me $225.00

Tint world they have locations all over but read the Google reviews on -line on the location you go to as they can be more bad reviews (stay away) and more good reviews (go with) they have a coupon for 30.00 off

I went with the deluxe package. and carbon is like the ceramic tint 60% uv